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Iron Chef America -

Is anyone going to watch the premiere tonight? Frankly, I wouldn't bother normally because I despise Bobby Flay, but - he's going up against Rick Bayless and I have to watch that. Rick Bayless is a much better chef, IMNSHO - Bobby Flay couldn't be his sous chef.

I'm going to be ticked off if Flay wins, though. Of course, I sort of expect him to win, though, since this is the premiere episode and how bad would it look for the Iron Chef to lose on the first episode?

(post #43143, reply #3 of 54)

(G) Now, I love Rick Bayless! Really! But then, any annoying characteristics can be overlooked when a person is truly talented, don't you think? I mean, look at Ina Garten. The woman is a little bit elitist-Hamptons-attitude, but frankly, I can deal with her because she is also very talented and puts out good information (except for today when she recommended adding OO to pasta water to keep the pasta from sticking - Bad Ina! Bad!).

IMNSHO, Bobby Flay is a loud, obnoxious, One-Trick Pony. If he can't grill it and can't add dried chilies or cilantro to it, he can't make it. He bores me to death.

(post #43143, reply #7 of 54)

Well, of course Bobby Flay won, as I suspected he might. By one point in the presentation category. Ha! His presentation was terrible, IMO. Just his same-ole-same-ole "heap-stuff-on-the-plate-high-with-at-least-3-sauces" type of stuff. I really do hate his presentations. It never looks plated, it just looks "piled", you know what I mean?

Anyway, while I was disappointed he won, I wasn't really surprised since, as I said before, there was no way he was going to lose. No way would the premiere episode have the IC lose, that would be bad television, wouldn't it?

I still thought that Rick Bayless was the better chef. He was thoughtful, he was precise, he was obviously talented, he obviously knew his ingredients and his subject matter, and he wasn't frantic and racing like BF.

I will watch next week too because it's Mario Batali. But I'm not sure I can watch episodes with BF in them, because he doesn't just annoy me, he actually repulses me. I truly can't stand watching him or listening to him.

(post #43143, reply #8 of 54)

ITA...Rick Bayless should have won. His presentation was superior, in my opinion. Somehow, I didn't think that the scoring and the judges' comments during the tastings made sense. From the comments, Bayless produced superior dishes. The scoring was the same. Huh? Several of Flay's dishes were criticised for unpleasant tasting bison. Heck, that was the theme ingredient! I just don't get it.

I did have the sense that Flay won because he is the IC and you can't have him lose the first battle. We are in complete agreement. But, it was entertaining nonetheless ;-)

(post #43143, reply #12 of 54)

Just once, when AP on KP and her hubby came to Vancouver. Quite the experience, especially as we were joined by Glenys and her Sailor - turns out that AP & hubby are wine connoisseurs, so we kept the sommelier hustling.

We tried to get reservations for Lumiere during the Vancouver Dine Out promo (when all the top restaurants offer three-course menus for anywhere from $15 to $35 a person), but no luck, though we did score a table at Feenie's, the slightly more down-market bistro. Report will definitely follow...

"All of life's big problems include the words "indictment" or "inoperable." Everything else is small stuff." Alton Brown

(post #43143, reply #10 of 54)

I agree. Rick Bayless was superior. Plus his knowledge of the regions of Mexico and rationale for each dish was impressive. I also thought that his presentation was superior. And....the judges did comment that the buffalo tasted either salty or tough or in some way inferior in Flay's presentation.

He did have to win....however. Challenger winning first time would have been odd. And I could do without the female judge.

(post #43143, reply #29 of 54)

I thought Rick Bayless humiliated him. His food was better prepared, the judges seemed to like it better, it was better plated, AND he was just calm and serene in the kitchen where BF was running around and barking and sweating up a storm.

BUT - it was the premiere episode, so how could he lose???? (rolling eyes...)

Something I'm not liking about this ICA - the Chairman picks their opponent. I don't like that. I think the challenger should be able to pick who they want to go up against.

(post #43143, reply #30 of 54)

I agree! Bayless's food was obviously better, and I thought his plating was more creative and more appealing. Also, he had one theme and stuck to it (also, he actually knew what the heck he was talking about!) whereas Booby was all over the map.

I missed the very beginning, so I didn't realize the Chairman picks the competitors, but I do REALLY appreciate that they've done away with th 15 minute exposition of how Iron Chef came to be, blah blah blah. Whenever I watch the original Iron Chef show, I always pause it and go check my email so I can fast forward through all that BS and get to the cooking part.

Also, I just adore Alton Brown on this show... even more than I usually like him, and I'm a fan. :-)

(post #43143, reply #37 of 54)

I finally saw the show and after reading all of this I expected to see a major travesty of justice. Sorry, but even though I am not a fan of the arrogant one, I did not see this as lopsided as all of you guys.